When you find yourself: byler

Bad dreams...again

Will and Mike went on an early walk that morning to clear their heads before figuring out how to make things up with El. There was a stunning Forrest around the neighborhood. With winding paths and huge trees it was a great way to start the morning.
"It's a beautiful morning out isn't it?" Wills happy cheerful voice asked
"Absolutely perfect out" Mike answered back smiling down at his friend
"Mike, I have something I want to say" Will said timidly
"Yeah Will, what's going on" Mike stoped walking to give Will his full attention
"I know what you are, and you're a freak Mike. Why else wouldn't you love El. You're a freak, and a fucking faggot." Will had pushed Mike to the ground and now towered over Mike in the shielded forest path.
"You're a freak! You're a freak!" Wills voices with joined with other peoples. as Mike tried to run the floor broke from underneath him and he fell, far.
--------------
Mike had hit the ground and woke with a start. Breathing heavy he quickly realized it was just a bad dream.
"Hey Mike are you okay?" Will whispered from across the room.
Mike was sleeping on the floor of wills room in a sleeping bag. Neither of them wanted to be alone so it was a perfect solution.
"Oh yeah just a uh- bad dream" Mike Whispered back
He turned over to face wills bed surprised that he was even up that late. They made eye contact and smiled. Am I blushing? I better not be thats so embarrassing. I shouldn't look for long. Mike tore his eyes away and sat up in his sleeping bag
"I'm going to get some water. Want anything?" Mike asked
"No I'm good thank you though" Will said with a genuine smile
Mike walked into the kitchen absent minded and instinctively grabbed a cup and walked over to the sink. He turned the tap to cold and switched the faucet on.
Why did that dream feel so real? And better yet why did it hurt so much. I mean it can't be true right? It was just a stupid dream. Right?
Mikes train of thought was interrupted by the water overflowing from the cup on to his hand
"Shit" Mike said as he reached to the counter to grab a towel.
"Are you sure you're okay Mike?" Wills voice traveled from his doorway to the kitchen
"Oh yeah- just uh- weird dream- I'm tired" Mike stuttered
"It's okay Mike I get those all the time" will said in a comforting voice
"Do you ever dream about me?" Mike asked.
He couldn't tell if it was because he was tired or he just didn't care anymore. Either way he didn't care if it was a weird question to ask.

"Oh ummm- yeah sometimes but...i don't know normally it's just when I dream I'm back in Hawkins. Why?" Will seemed flustered by the question, avoiding eye contact with Mike at all cost it seemed.
"Just wondering" Mike said with a smile

"Was I...in your dream" Will said concerned

"Yeah you were but um- it- it wasn't like- you know. THAT kinda dream it was more a-a nightmare you know" Mike was absolutely hopeless. He must have not been expecting to be asked why.
"What do you mean THAT kind of dream Mike" Wills interest was peaked, in the low light Mike couldn't tell if he was blushing or if it was just his imagination.
"Oh uhhhhh nothing" Mike said embarrassed
"Goodnight Mike" Will said with a laugh that seemed awfully flirtatious . Just like that the conversation ended and Mike was left standing alone with his glass of water.

Getting back to bed was the other big struggle that night. He was constantly tossing and turning in his sleeping bag that was way to small for mikes tall body. His thoughts didn't calm or stop that whole night
What is wrong with me? Am I really the freak "will" said I was?
------------------
"Mike?" Wills voice startled Mike awake even tho he didn't ever realize he was sleeping

"Will? What's up?" Mike said breathlessly

"Why did you never send those letters?" Will said in not his normal voice

"What are you talking about Will" Mike said confused as to how he knew about the letters. Mike wrote letters to Will although they were never sent to him. Almost every single day he wrote about everything that had happened that day. From the boring to the exciting. Everyday he'd write, move to put it in an envelope, but then stop himself. They ended up making a full binder of letters, never sent.

"You know what I'm talking about, Mike" wills voice sounded very distorted now. It was deeper, grasper, scarier.

"Who are you? WHO ARE YOU?" Mike was screaming now. His friend was obviously not his friend in that moment, he was someone familiar. He ran into the kitchen

"You see Michael, see what happens" it was Ted

"I don't know what you mean" Mike was shaking now reaching to grab any object to defend himself with. He looked back into wills room, it was covered in blood.
Is that will...?
"No son of mine will end up like you. A dirty, infected, sinner" teds voice was stony and cold.
"Mike?"
Teds hands reached out to mikes throat
"Mike!?"
He chokes gasping for air
"MIKE!"
---------------------
Mike woke up gasping for air still with Will just over him on the floor. Mike took a second to adjust to the light and his surroundings. That's when he noticed wills hands gently on his shoulders and his concerned face that made mikes stomach turn.
"Bad dream again?" Will said with a smile

"Oh yeah I'll uh- be okay" Mike tried to match the smile but failed while tears welled in his eyes.

"You sure?" Wills voice was soft and gentle

"Yeah-" his voice broke

Mike then pulled Will into a hug. He wasn't sure what compelled him to. Maybe it was for comfort or maybe he just needed to know Will was actually real this time.
It's 2am by the time Mike tried to go to bed for the third time. Still tossing and turning only with his thoughts till he finally bit the bullet
"Will?" Mikes voice spoke softly

"Yeah Mike?" He responded almost instantly as if he was also struggling to sleep

"Would it be weird if I uh- slept up there with you again?"
Wills response wasn't verbal but it didn't need to be. He scoot over, Lifted up his dark blue comforter and patted the spot next to him. Mike was more than enthusiastic to join him in his bed.
It was more comfortable, in more ways than one.
He got a bed, a nice blanket, and his best friend wrapped into his arms. Wills soft breathing was a lullaby to him, his warmth was like the sun, and Mike felt at home, for the first time in a long time.